If you’ve never heard a dog belt out a tune with the confidence of a rock star, you haven’t met Millie. This incredibly vocal pup, a 2-year-old border collie–English shepherd mix, doesn’t just bark—she sings, and only to one song: “All the Gold in California” by Brother Marshall and the Choir of Fire. The first time she performed on the ride home from the shelter, her new parents, Dallas and Jake Van Pelt, were caught completely off guard, in the best possible way.
Millie also explodes into rooms with a whirlwind of fur and energy. She darts after tennis balls, sometimes juggling two at a time, before pausing just long enough to nuzzle a hand or press her head into a lap for a quick cuddle. But no matter what she’s doing, she has a way of turning ordinary moments into unforgettable ones.
Reader’s Digest fell for Millie instantly—but that’s only one of the reasons she landed on the cover of our February/March 2026 issue. This irresistibly adorable rescue pup perfectly reflects the theme at the center of this issue: acts of love. More than just a cute face, Millie represents the joy and connection that adoption brings, echoing our cover story about a man who donated adoption fees for 40 shelter dogs to mark his wife’s 40th birthday.
In the interest of spreading that joy just a little further, read on for more about our brand-new cover star—and see some exclusive behind-the-scenes photos from our shoot!
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A rescue dog with a big personality
Millie got her start on a farm in western Wisconsin with nine littermates, but at just 10 weeks old, she and her siblings were surrendered and placed in local shelters. “It didn’t sound like a pleasant situation,” her mom, Dallas, says. But luckily, Millie didn’t have to stay there long: The Van Pelts adopted her the very same day she arrived at the shelter in September 2023!
Back then, though, she went by a different moniker. “Millie was originally named Bubbles at the shelter, as part of a Powerpuff Girls–themed litter,” Dallas recalls. “After the adoption, her name became Millie—a nod to the fact that she was adopted the same year our favorite sprint car driver won the Million Dollar race. The timing and the name both felt right, and it stuck.”
Even as a pup, her personality was on full display. “Millie is very expressive and ‘talks’ a lot—vocalizing her feelings through little grumbles and howls, which has become one of her most endearing traits,” Dallas tells us. Those early quirks weren’t just cute; they were a preview of the confident, communicative dog she’d soon become.
A day in the life of Millie
Millie didn’t waste any time settling into her new home in Westby, Wisconsin, or making her preferences known, especially when it came to tennis balls. They quickly became her signature accessory, and she now rarely goes anywhere without one (sometimes two). When her humans aren’t moving fast enough for her liking, she’ll roll a tennis ball down their legs, a not-so-subtle reminder that playtime should already be underway. “You might find a wet, soggy tennis ball in your lap, at your feet or even thoughtfully placed next to your beverage on the side table,” Dallas says. “She is truly obsessed!”
Mischief also follows her everywhere, earning her the nickname Silly Millie. She perches on coffee tables, scales cat trees and invents her own fun wherever she goes. At her grandparents’ house, a simple game of catch in the driveway can quickly turn into a full-scale chase. And in the winter, Dallas adds, “she’s especially happy ‘helping’ with shoveling—chasing snow tossed into the air and proudly ending up covered in frozen snowballs.”
But when Millie finally lets her humans catch their breath, she’s all about affection. “She’s a leaner,” says her grandma, Raeann Thompson—Dallas’s mom and Reader’s Digest’s creative director. “She loves full-body contact, resting her head on you, jumping onto your lap or placing a paw very deliberately where it will be noticed.”
That love extends to her siblings: two cats, Sharky and Monty, and a Chihuahua-dachshund mix named Rico. “She loves to groom Monty, and they’re often found curled up together,” Dallas says. And while she rolls around in playful wrestling matches with Rico, she makes sure Sharky never strays too far from her, for reasons only she understands.
On set with our cover girl
When Millie stepped onto the Reader’s Digest set, she understood the assignment—well, in her mind, anyway. After all, there was a tennis ball right there. “She was far more interested in engaging with people and repeatedly trying to steal the tennis ball the photographers had attached to their equipment to prevent painful bumps,” Raeann says. Understandable mistake!
Millie also made it clear that she expected people food as a reward—a treat she doesn’t usually get. Raeann saved the day with cheese and sausage treats to keep things moving. “At one point, Dallas was even holding sausage in her mouth to coax Millie into position,” Raeann adds. To motivate her even more when her attention started to wane, the crew played Millie’s favorite country song—yep, you know the one! That familiar cue helped bring her attention back to the camera.
What did Millie think of her day as a star? If she could talk, photographer Emilio Franzen thinks she would say, “I’ll do anything for country music!”
A tail-wagging triumph
By the time the cameras were packed up, it was clear that Millie’s impact went far beyond a successful cover shoot. Whether she was tilting her head at the camera, posing for a shot or trying to get that oh-so-tempting tennis ball, she made everyone feel like a part of her world. “Watching her connect so deeply with everyone she meets always brings out a lot of emotion,” Dallas says.
That effortless connection is exactly what makes Millie the perfect cover star for Reader’s Digest. “She represents hope, warmth and uncomplicated joy,” says Raeann. “Millie is a reminder that good things still happen every day—sometimes quietly and sometimes through small, meaningful choices like adoption. She invites people in, and that’s exactly what a Reader’s Digest cover should do.”
You can check out that spirit for yourself in Reader’s Digest’s February/March 2026 issue, out now. Pick up a copy to see more of Millie and fall in love with our other stories too.
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